Magical Jack Frost Cookies

The holiday season is rolling in, which means it’s both holiday cookie time and holiday movie time. So what better way to spend an afternoon than making… holiday movie cookies?

Earlier this month we had a chance to catch a screening of Rise of the Guardians, the new Dreamworks family film that features a whole cast of “guardians” who watch over children, including Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny, the Tooth Fairy, and the newest addition to the team, Jack Frost. Our kids were totally delighted with the movie, and they were especially charmed by Jack Frost as he gleefully spread ice and snow everywhere he went. As soon as we saw him holding that iconic magical staff, we couldn’t help thinking, “Someone has got to turn that into a cookie.”

These cookies are so darned easy to make, they’re nearly impossible to mess up (which makes it a great kids’ project). Kids can help from start to finish, including rolling out the puff pastry, brushing the butter, sprinkling the sugar, cutting the strips, twisting them and rolling them into crooks, and then putting them on the cookie sheet.

Unwrap the frozen puff pastry dough and let it defrost at room temperature for about 30 minutes. Unroll it when you are able to open it up without breaking it.

Lay out a single sheet of the dough on a large board and brush it with 1 T. of the melted butter. Sprinkle it with half of the sugar.

With a sharp knife, cut the dough into 1-cm.-wide strips. Carefully pick up each strip, twist it around, and lay it down on a baking pan, curving it at the end so that it has a “hook” shape. Repeat with the rest of the strips and then repeat the process for the second sheet of dough.

In a small bowl, mix together the egg and the water. Carefully brush the surface of each cookie with the egg yolk mixture (this will give it a nice golden brown finish when it is baked).

Bake the cookies at 400 degrees for 15 minutes, or until puffed and light golden brown. Sprinkle with a dusting of powdered sugar if desired. Makes approximately 20 cookies.

Do you have ice and snow at your house yet? Maybe your kids should try waving these cookies around a few times before they go to bed. It hasn’t worked for us here in Southern California yet, but you never know…